Is European Basketball Really Higher IQ? Exploring the Schroder-Durant interaction
Former FIBA World Cup MVP Dennis Schroder and newly crowned four-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant exchanged words following the recent Olympic Games, sparking a debate among basketball fans worldwide. In the exchange, Schroder referred to European basketball as “no entertainment and straight IQ basketball.” Durant responded on social media after winning the Olympic finals, posting, “Entertainment and IQ.” Schroder then called out Durant’s reaction as “weak.”
This back-and-forth has fueled discussions among basketball enthusiasts. I would argue that basketball IQ and entertainment levels are highly subjective. There is no single "right" way to play the sport; it’s simply a game where, if you can score more points within a limited amount of time, you win. There’s also no absolute standard for entertainment—different people find different things entertaining. However, given these assumptions, I do think that Schroder raises a valid point.
Shannon Sharpe said on his podcast, “Pro sports itself is entertainment,” and the presence of big names like Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant certainly added entertainment value. However, despite having such stars on the roster, it still took a tough battle in the semifinals and finals for Team USA to secure the gold. In my opinion, the level of entertainment largely comes from individual abilities and athleticism. The way European players make up the gap and compete on the big stage may involve what we refer to as “basketball IQ.” This concept is not isolated - players can exhibit different levels of IQ depending on the stage, their teammates and that may even vary from game to game.
When we consider the broader scope of basketball training and development, I believe European players generally have higher basketball IQs. European players often exhibit better decision-making abilities, which can be attributed to the way they are developed compared to players in the United States.
In the U.S., young players often come up through high school basketball and AAU programs, where the focus is frequently on showcasing individual talent. Kids practice flashy dunks and dribble moves to stand out athletically. However, one criticism of the AAU system is that it emphasizes playing a high volume of games with little focus on practice and team development. This environment can foster bad habits and a lack of understanding of how to play within a team structure, which becomes evident when these players reach higher levels of competition, such as college or the NBA.
In contrast, the European basketball system emphasizes fundamentals, team play, and a deeper understanding of the game from an early age. Their training is more structured, focusing on learning the game’s principles and concepts, which can help them transition more smoothly to the professional level.
As rising European star Franz Wagner said in an interview with JJ Redick, “I didn’t play pick-and-roll until I was like 15, maybe,” a statement that left Redick shocked. “We play completely different in practice. It was all give-and-go, cut, pass-and-move. We had structure and principles but no system like two-high. We didn’t have any of that growing up. Just concepts, reading the game, reading space, cutting, passing,” Wagner said.
Young European players are also accustomed to playing against opponents who are physically superior, due to the different competition systems. Wagner noted in the same interview, “If you are good, you just kind of move up age ranks. Once I got around 14-15-16, I didn't just practice with the U16 team anymore, I practiced with the U19 team. They saw potential in me, so they brought me to the professional club. I had my first practice there when I was 16.” The same thing happened with superstar Luka Doncic, who played his first game for Real Madrid at 16 years old, competing not only with grown men but also in the EuroLeague, against the best teams in Europe.
At the end of the day, instead of debating whether Schroder or Durant is right, it’s essential to recognize a more significant takeaway: these Olympic basketball games have demonstrated how the sport is truly becoming global. The competitive nature of the elimination games, which had NBA Commissioner Adam Silver smiling contentedly in the stands, showed that victory for Team USA was far from guaranteed. Therefore, U.S. player training and development programs need to improve and learn on a global scale to maintain competitiveness and prevent basketball from being dominated by Europeans in the years to come.
